Mercy Participates in National #GivingTuesday Initiative on December 3

Nov 01, 2013

Mercy Participates in National #GivingTuesday Initiative on December 3

Topic: Hospital joins more than 3,700 partner organizations throughout the U.S. to celebrate â€œopening dayâ€ of giving this holiday season | Contact: Cindy Hickey

Canton, Ohio: With a history of caring for Stark County and surrounding communities for more than 100 years, Mercy Medical Center has joined #GivingTuesday, a grassroots campaign for a national day of giving on December 3 at the start of the annual holiday season.

Much like Black Friday and Cyber Monday kick off the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday is “opening day” for the end-of-year giving season and brings together charities, individuals, families, businesses and more. The effort, driven mainly through social media channels, is intended to celebrate and encourage charitable activities that support non-profit organizations.

The first #GivingTuesday was launched in September 2012 by Henry Timms, interim CEO of the 92nd Street Y, a non-profit cultural and community center in New York City. In a three-month period of time, the initiative garnered 2,700 partners and raised more than $10 million – a 53% increase in giving over the same day in 2011.

Mercy Focuses on ‘Mission POSSIBLE’ for #GivingTuesday

Laura Jo Hawk, director of Mercy Development Foundation, is proud that Mercy will be part of the second annual #GivingTuesday and believes the movement can have a significant, positive impact on giving locally and nationally.

“Anything that inspires people to talk about giving, to work together on behalf of their community and to give back to charities they believe in is a good thing,” she says. “I think #GivingTuesday exemplifies the giving spirit that I see so often here at Mercy, which is one of the main reasons we have chosen to be a partner this year.”

She adds that #GivingTuesday also reflects the medical center’s mission to provide quality, compassionate, accessible and affordable healthcare for all, regardless of ability to pay. This mission is demonstrated on a daily basis in Mercy’s emergency department (ED), which is being renovated to meet growing community demands for emergency care. Hawk has chosen to feature Mercy’s Mission POSSIBLE campaign for #GivingTuesday. For every $3 dollars raised, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton will match $1 – up to $250,000.

#GivingTuesday Supported, Advised by Philanthropy Thought Leaders

As #GivingTuesday continues to gain awareness, thought leaders in philanthropy, social media and grassroots organizing have joined with 92nd Street Y to explore what is working in modern philanthropy and how to expand these innovations throughout the philanthropic sector. A group of founding partners – including the United Nations Foundation, DonorsChoose.org, Mashable, Blackbaud, charity: water, GlobalGiving, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Kiva, Darden Restaurant Group, Groupon, Unilever and VentureThree Capital – have sponsored a nationwide series of discussions about how to make #GivingTuesday an even bigger success.

More than 3,700 corporate and non-profit organizations have joined #GivingTuesday so far in 2013. The initiative is endorsed by Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, Dorothy A. Johnson Center on Philanthropy, Giving Institute, Giving USA Foundation and InterAction. Charity Navigator, Givewell and GuideStar serve as charity advisors, and VolunteerMatch is a volunteer advisor.

“#GivingTuesday is a counter narrative to Black Friday and Cyber Monday because it reminds us that the spirit of the holiday giving season should be about community and not just consumerism,” says Kathy Calvin, CEO of the UN Foundation. “The most meaningful gift we can give our children, loved ones, friends and neighbors is the commitment to work together to help build a better world.”